


Definitions

by AMidnightDreary



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Asgard sucks, Asgardian Tony Stark, Assassination Attempt(s), Attraction, BAMF Loki (Marvel), Bottom Tony Stark, Competence Kink, Confidence, Cuddling & Snuggling, Cunnilingus, First Kiss, Flirting, Fluff and Smut, Getting Together, Good Loki (Marvel), Happy Ending, Ice Powers, Insecure Tony Stark, Intersex Loki (Marvel), Jotunn Loki (Marvel), Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, Lonely Tony Stark, M/M, Minor Injuries, Protective Loki (Marvel), Protective Tony Stark, Racism, Tony Stark Gets a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-05 18:54:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25530154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AMidnightDreary/pseuds/AMidnightDreary
Summary: When Loki is in Asgard to negotiate a peace treaty with the king, he meets a smith who proves to be not only helpful, but also very fascinating.
Relationships: Loki/Tony Stark
Comments: 102
Kudos: 740





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is basically the companion piece to my story [In The Farthest Corner](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15650073/chapters/36349026). I started it ages ago and finally finished it! The next chapter will be up the coming days.

Loki knew three things about the Aesir:

  1. They thought they were the best at everything.
  2. They were not as good as they thought they were.
  3. They would kill him if he openly told them that.



Loki knew these things from his father, who had more than enough reasons to hate the Aesir, and from his mother, who would never forgive Asgard for what it had done. Loki had been born during the Great War and while he didn't remember it, he had grown up with its consequences. He could agree that the Aesir were ruthless, and hungry for power that wasn't theirs to take, he could agree that they were _dangerous._

But Loki also thought they might be useful.

Or well, at least he _had_ thought so. Now, several months into the negotiations, he was starting to wonder if the Aesir were just _boring._ And in his opinion, that was even worse than the three things his parents had told him again and again and again.

He peered into his mug, sniffing the brown liquid he'd been given. It tasted just as bad as it smelled, that Loki knew from experience. He would never understand the Aesir's fascination with beer - it didn't taste nearly as good as the wine Loki's people made at home, and also Loki had to drink about ten liters of it to feel any sort of effect.

_Boring._

“You don't look like you are having a particularly good time.”

Loki looked up to find an Aesir standing right in front of him. Loki sighed inwardly; he'd retreated to a bench at the side of the great hall in the hope that he wouldn't be disturbed by any more dimwitted brutes who looked at him in either disgust or morbid fascination. Or both. However, he soon realized that none of that was visible in this Aesir's eyes.

He was smiling.

Loki slowly raised a brow. “I think our people have very different opinions on what makes a pleasant feast.”

The Aesir's smile widened and he looked around the hall, which gave Loki the time to consider him properly. The man was short, even for an Aesir, and admittedly he had a nice smile. His beard was a little odd, but the look in his brown eyes was warm and intelligent. Loki was sure he had seen the man before - not in the meetings, but in the feasts that were open to Asgard's most powerful families, like this one.

“Is there no drinking in Jötunheimr?” the Aesir asked, looking back at Loki. “No bragging?”

“There is better wine,” Loki replied, smirking. “And better stories.” He glanced at the few Aesir in the middle of the hall who looked like they enjoyed making utter fools of themselves. “And much, much better dancing.”

The man laughed. “Yeah, I don't doubt that. Mind if I sit?”

Loki keeps his expression indifferent, but he gestures at the empty space next to him. He watches as the Aesir sits down. “I think most Aesir would be insulted if I told them that we have better parties.”

The man shrugs. “Maybe. But I've been at about thousand feasts like this, and eventually they get boring. Something new would be,” he grins at Loki and it's just a tiny bit lewd, “nice.”

“I see,” Loki says, amused. “I've seen you here before, but I think we haven't been introduced yet.”

“About time then, isn't it?” The Aesir turned to him and held out his hand. “Anthony Howardson, at your service.”

Loki grasped Anthony's forearm, knowing that was the common way of greeting in Asgard. He was surprised that Anthony offered it willingly; so far every Aesir, even the king, had shied away from touching Loki. They probably thought his skin would freeze them, and Loki found that too amusing to correct them.

If Anthony was surprised that Loki's skin _didn't_ freeze him, he didn't show it. His skin was of course much warmer than Loki’s own, but bearably so, and his touch was gentle. Loki didn't introduce himself, because he was certain that everybody in Asgard knew who he was.

“That is an odd name,” he said instead, “for an Aesir.”

“Oh, yes, it is. My father was a human.”

Loki stared at him, wondering if he had misheard. “A human? Truly?”

“Shocking, I know,” Anthony said, sounding completely unbothered. “It was the biggest scandal of the century, but well - that was a long time ago. My father made a name for himself as a weaponsmith, and he was a proud asshole when he died, so it all worked out well for him. For my mother, too, I guess, although _her_ parents stopped talking to her when she came home at nine hundred and twenty, pregnant and with a human in tow. I mean, not that mum minded - she habitually didn't gave a shit what everybody else thought. She taught me that, and it's good that she did, because most of the Aesir still hate me for being half-human. So you know, just keep that in mind when I tell you that there's an assassination planned and you and your brother should be very, very careful tomorrow night.”

Loki blinked. Again, he wondered if he had heard correctly. Anthony's expression and his tone of voice hadn't changed, he just looked like someone who had just told a funny story and was now waiting for the reaction. 

Now, Loki had always been very good at telling whether people told the truth or not. He was not easily tricked, he was the one who tricked other people.

He could tell that Anthony Howardson was a trickster. He could also tell that Anthony Howardson was not trying to trick _Loki._

Loki cocked his head to one side and cast a simple spell. “Speak openly. Nobody will pay attention to us.”

Anthony looked at him, still smiling, but careful. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I am sure.”

After moment longer, Anthony apparently decided to believe him, because his smile faded and his eyes became serious. “Alright, then, listen. I'm friends with the king, and he has nothing to do with it. He won't support or condone it, either, but he _will_ believe his people when they say they are innocent. If you or your brother get hurt, then you need proof of who hurt you or Thor will think that you're trying to pin an assassination attempt on him. And I doubt that would be good for your negotiations.”

Loki had listened attentively, and now he asked, “And how do you know of this?”

“I hear things,” Anthony said with a grin that made Loki want to trust him, but it wasn’t that easy.

Still, Loki accepted it for now. “Who and where?”

“Two upper class warriors,” Anthony answered readily. “Siblings. One of them belonged to Odin's circle of advisors, but Thor kicked him out. They're not happy with the road Thor is taking now. Look at the table your brother is sitting at, do you see the redhead?”

Loki saw him. Tall and scrawny, his laugh too loud. “Yes.”

“He and his twin sister. She’s more dangerous, so keep an eye out for her especially. You know it's Midsummer tomorrow?”

“Of course.”

“Everybody will be busy celebrating. They want to do it during the bonfires, it’ll be easier for them if you’re not in the harbour but downtown - set them up. If you do it near my smithy, I can help.”

“How so?”

“Having a witness can’t hurt.” Anthony grinned. “The twins both have knives I made myself. Get your hands on one of them and it’ll be enough to convince Thor.”

Loki studied the Aesir’s face for a long moment. “Why are you doing this?”

Anthony shrugged and looked away, to where Helblindi, Loki’s brother, was talking to a few warriors - including the one who planned an assassination, apparently. “You’re doing good work here,” Anthony said. “Long overdue, really. Thor is a good king, but he’s even more hot headed than his father. Sometimes he needs a bit of help.”

“You’re his friend, you said?”

“I am.”

“And he wouldn’t trust your word on this?”

Anthony looked at Loki again, his face serious. “Maybe he would. He’d talk to them and give them a warning, and trust they will obey. But they wouldn’t, and if you or your brother get hurt -” He shook his head. “We don’t need another war.”

“You’re a smith, aren’t you? Shouldn’t you support a war?”

“My father would have,” Anthony said. He grinned. “I’m not like my father. You’re familiar with that phenomenon, I think.”

Loki kept his face blank. Everybody in Asgard knew, or at least suspected, that Laufey was against this whole endeavour - that he wasn’t here himself was a good indicator, after all. And Loki didn’t doubt that Odin would have hated this as well, but Odin was sleeping, and only the Norns knew if he would ever wake up again.

“Thank you,” Loki said politely, “for sharing your knowledge. Maybe we will see each other tomorrow, then.”

“Maybe,” Anthony agreed. “Take care.”

Loki put his mug on the table behind them and stood up, making his way through the hall to speak with his brother. He could still feel Anthony’s eyes on him.

*

Midsummer was one of the most important days for the Aesir. The preparations for the celebrations had been going on for almost a week now, and it would take another week until everything in Asgard would return to normal. Until then, they could explore the street fair, the heart of the celebrations, to their heart’s content, which traditionally included lots of eating and spent money. Loki was fascinated by the chaos, and for the first time since he and his brother had arrived in Asgard, Loki felt actually _comfortable._

But not for long, sadly, because soon they noticed that two redheads were following them.

“They aren’t even trying to be stealthy,” Helblindi complained without looking over his shoulder. His hand was resting loosely on his waist belt, close to the sheath of his knife. He hadn’t brought his spear, but his knife was more than enough.

“Oh, they are,” Loki replied lightly. “The Aesir just aren’t very good at stealth.”

Helblindi glanced down at him, amusement in his red eyes. “And you’re sure that smith can be trusted, yes?”

“I’m sure he didn’t lie.”

“He’s so short.”

“I know.”

“Is he a witch, too?”

Loki shook his head. “No. I don’t think so. But I did some research, and he’s said to be a very good fighter.”

“Good by the Aesir’s standards or by our standards?”

“Well, what do you think?” Loki stopped at a booth to inspect the merchant’s wares. “I doubt he’s ever fought a Jotunn before.”

Helblindi grumbled something and bent down so that he could also take a look at the jewelry the merchant sold. He was almost twice as tall as Loki, which made being in Asgard somewhat uncomfortable for him. Loki himself was about the same height as the average Aesir. It had earned him the (fondly meant) nickname _runt,_ and it was rather nice to be in a place where everything wasn’t made for people who were that much taller than him.

“How much for this?” Helblindi asked kindly, holding up a necklace made of pretty rubies. 

The merchant looked like he was about to run away. “I - uh -”

“Yes?”

The poor man started to tremble. “It’s - ah. A gift?”

“Oh,” Helblindi said. “Well. Thank you.”

Loki tried not to laugh as Helblindi took the necklace, but he couldn’t _not_ laugh when Helblindi straightened his back and promptly hit his head on the low roof of the booth. Helblindi glared at him and then, one hand on Loki’s shoulder to push him forward, hurried to get away from the booth and the frightened merchant who probably needed another pair of pants.

“Shut _up,”_ Helblindi hissed as soon as they were out of hearing distance. 

Loki was still chuckling. “Did you see his face? Gods -”

“It’s not like I was _trying_ to scare him.”

“You don’t need to try, brother. Your visage is more than enough.”

Helblindi gave him a friendly shove that just made Loki’s grin widen. The taller Jotunn kept glaring for a moment, but then he looked at the necklace he was still holding. “Do you want this?”

“No. You can give it to mother when we’re back.”

“Can you -”

Loki sighed and waved his hand, storing the necklace away in the pocket dimension where he kept all the other “gifts” Helblindi had received so far. For the next hour, Helblindi stayed away from the booths, but he kept a close eye on Loki. Helblindi might be the younger brother, but he had always been rather protective of Loki, even though he knew that Loki was very capable of protecting himself. There had been a time when Loki hadn’t been as good at magic as he was now, though, and as small and weak as he had been back then, he had needed the protection. By now it was not much more than a habit, one that Loki had accepted long ago.

It wasn’t long until the bonfires, now. Loki soon noticed how more and more people ran in the direction of the harbour, and so he and Helblindi made their way to the quarter where you could find the best and most expensive stores in Asgard.

Anthony's smithy was among them. 

“Let's stay here,” Loki said quietly.

Helblindi nodded, so Loki put a hand on his brother's arm. They took a few steps to the side and watched as the illusions Loki had created kept walking and talking to each other. The redheads followed them at a safe distance.

Helblindi snorted. “Idiots.”

Loki smiled.

The street was empty; everybody had left to watch the bonfires they lit on boats in the harbour. This was the best moment to act out their plan and the redheads realized that, too, because suddenly everything happened quickly. 

One of the wannabe assassins, the man, had a crossbow strapped to his back, and after he’d exchanged a look with his sister, he used it. The illusion of Helblindi was hit in the head and promptly fell, lifeless. The smaller illusion next to him spun around and stared at the redheads out of wide eyes, frozen like prey that knew that it would die.

The Aesir shot another arrow, but the illusion of Loki jumped aside and the redheads stormed toward him, but then, suddenly -

Suddenly someone came running out of a building and pushed the illusion out of the way at the very last second. The man was wielding a sword, ready to attack, but Loki saw at once that he was not fast enough to take on both of the redheads at once. He was busy fending off the man when the woman, who had already “killed” the other illusion, buried her knife in his side.

Loki slipped out of the invisibility spell as if it were a cloak, and the last thing he heard before he teleported was his cursing brother. He appeared right in front of the woman who wanted him dead, and she immediately stumbled back, her eyes widening in shock. She frantically looked at the spot where Loki’s illusion had been just a second before and when she found it gone, she turned back to Loki, who gave her a sharp and angry grin. She attacked, and he pulled up a shield of ice that caused her blade to shatter. He stomped his feet below the shield and at once ice shot up her legs and kept her from moving. She faltered and he reached out to press his fingers to her temple. Immediately, her eyes rolled back into her head, and she fell. 

Loki straightened and let the ice melt. Behind the sleeping woman, Helblindi just pulled his knife out of the other redhead’s skull. Loki picked up what was left of the woman’s dagger - a golden handle that was wonderfully crafted - and tossed it over to his brother, who caught it effortlessly. Then, Loki turned and looked at the man who was lying behind him on the ground, his hand pressed to the bleeding wound in his side.

“Uhm,” Anthony Howardson said. “Nice to see you again?”

Loki narrowed his eyes. Anthony was worryingly pale and he was already bleeding all over the sidewalk. Loki crouched next to him, eyes fixed on the Aesir’s gaping wound. 

“You are a fool,” Loki told him.

“Yeah, I - I’m starting to think that, too.”

“Can you stand?”

Anthony nodded, but he grew even paler when Loki helped him up, and Loki had to carry most of his weight. Loki huffed and looked over his shoulder at his brother. 

“We’ll be inside.”

Helblindi nodded. “I’ll be right there.”

Loki left him alone and dragged Anthony into his smithy. The door stood wide open, and Loki could smell fire and metal as soon as they entered the building. The forge had to be in the backyard, because the room they were in now looked more like the actual store - weapons and armour on display, and here and there even pieces of jewelry that tempted everyone who had an eye for beauty to empty their purse. 

Loki swept everything off the nearest table and hoisted Anthony up. The man was barely conscious anymore. Loki put his own hands on Anthony’s side and let his magic seep into the wound, cleaning and closing it within just a few minutes. Feeling generous, he even made all the blood vanish with a wave of his hand.

Seconds later, Anthony opened his eyes and very slowly propped himself up on his elbows. He stared at Loki, and then at all the knives Loki had just thrown off the table. He craned his neck to look at the entrance, where Helblindi was just dragging the dead Aesir through the door. He dropped him on the floor and then went to get the still unconscious woman.

Anthony looked back at Loki. The colour was returning to his cheeks. 

“This,” he said, “is a very weird day.”

*

A few days later, Loki returned to the smithy. He hadn’t seen Anthony since he had come to the palace to talk to Thor, and Loki didn’t wait until the next feast. When he entered the room, Anthony was just talking to a customer and showing him a pair of vambraces. They both looked up when Loki entered, and the customer paled and then, with just a few hasty words to Anthony, fled the building.

Loki looked after the man, frowning. “Perhaps I should have waited outside.”

“Perhaps he’s just a moron who wouldn’t recognize good vambraces if they bit him on the nose,” Anthony countered, setting the vambraces aside. He was already grinning when he came over to Loki. 

When they had first met, Anthony had worn expensive clothing made of the finest fabrics, but now he was dressed much more simply. Brown leather pants that were tucked into sturdy boots, a deep red tunic that reached down to his thighs. He had rolled up the sleeves; Loki could see his forearms. Strong arms, clearly. He looked at the Aesir, took in his brown hair that could use a comb and the genuinely joyful look in his equally brown eyes. _Brown._

For Loki, brown was an unusual color. They had more than enough blue and white in Jötunheimr, but brown was very rare. Loki had never seen a single Jotunn that didn’t have red eyes and black hair, and he had to admit that Anthony was… quite nice to look at. Short, of course, but - he had a way of smiling that Loki liked, and a mischievous glint in his eyes. 

Loki had wanted to see him again.

“I didn’t expect to see you again so soon,” Anthony said. “How are things in the palace?”

“Ah, well. Our friend should be very comfortable in her prison cell for the time being, and the king feels miserable.” Loki smirked. “So all in all, I can’t complain.” He glanced at Anthony’s stomach. “And how are you?”

“I’m fine,” Anthony said, patting his side. “Feeling as if there was never a knife in here. Thank you again for helping me there.”

Loki shook his head. “Consider it my reward for your help. Without you, something worse might have happened.” He wrinkled his nose. “Of course, if you hadn’t stepped in -”

“Look, I was just trying to help.”

“It was foolish.”

“Oh, alright, then I was just to _know_ that there were illusions walking down my street?”

“Exactly.” Loki smiled sharply. “If you want to atone for your stupidity, I would allow you to make something for me.”

“You are the cockiest person I’ve ever met,” Anthony said, but he returned Loki’s smile. “What do you want?”

“A dagger,” Loki said at once.

“Well, I have these,” Anthony said, gesturing at the table where Loki had healed him. “Maybe -”

“No,” Loki interrupted. “No, I want something _special._ A commission, if you will.”

“Alright, I can do that. Anything you want.”

Loki raised a brow. “Anything?”

“I have something to atone for, haven’t I?” Anthony said. Gods, his smirk was dangerous. “I’d better make sure you’re satisfied.”

Very dangerous indeed.

*

Loki didn’t have much free time. He and Helblindi had come here to work on a peace treaty with the king and his advisors, and so they spent the better part of their days negotiating. Even the feasts they attended, they attended for political reasons, so often even he was busy even in the evenings.

Thankfully, Anthony’s sleep pattern was so chaotic that Loki could walk into the smithy at two in the morning and find the Aesir awake and working.

It had started with the dagger, of course. After Loki had explained every detail of what Loki had in mind, wanting to check how much progress Anthony had made was a good excuse for coming by every other night. And Anthony needed oddly long to finish the project - so Loki thought, at least, but he wasn’t about to complain. 

When the dagger was finished (and paid for; no matter what the Aesir thought, Loki was _not_ a monster), visiting the smith had become too much of a habit to stop doing it.

Anthony was clever. He was clever and funny and quite possibly the most charming inhabitant of this planet. Oh, he was also proud, maybe even arrogant, and definitely reckless - but unlike the other Aesir, he didn't think that everybody else was somehow beneath him. No, he just knew what he was and what he could do, and he behaved accordingly. Loki quickly figured out that Anthony had every right to call himself a genius.

All in all, he was refreshingly different to the rest of the Aesir. It probably had something to do with the fact that Anthony was not, in fact, an Aesir, or at least not _only._ Every day, Loki experienced first hand how self-righteous and small-minded the Aesir were, and they didn't treat Anthony very differently. They respected his skills, yes, but behind his back they still whispered about the mortal bastard, the _halfling._

Loki wondered what it was like, to grow up in a place where nobody could just accept you how you were, because you were somehow _different._ Fine, he had endured his fair share of teasing because of his height - or rather the lack of it -, but very few had ever actually disrespected him. All Jötnar knew that Loki's magical skills made him more dangerous than most other warriors, and they respected him for it _without_ whispering about him behind his back.

Anthony didn't look lonely. Or at least he didn't look lonely right now, in the canopied yard behind his store where he stood at his smithy and worked, eyebrows drawn together in concentration, forehead glistening with sweat. No, not lonely, but - a little grim, sometimes, and often sleep-deprived.

Loki sat close to the door that led into the building on a bench. It was very, very late in the night, but at this time of the year it never got very dark in Asgard. Loki could see Anthony perfectly, even though the smithy was at the other end of the yard. Loki couldn't go any closer to it; the fire of the forge was simply too hot for him, and dealing with the warm temperatures in Asgard was already troublesome enough.

He enjoyed watching Anthony work. Not just because it was a pretty sight, although it was a _very_ pretty sight, but also because it was… calming. Once or twice Loki had even dozed off right here on the bench.

Tonight, though, he stayed awake until Anthony finally set down his tools. Loki pretended to be engrossed in his book, although he could barely even remember what it was about. Thor's mother had granted him access to her library when she had heard that Loki was interested, which had been surprisingly kind of her. Then again, “surprisingly kind” could be used to describe Frigga's whole being.

“Have you fallen asleep again?”

Loki looked up from his book and Anthony was standing right in front of the bench, grinning at him. He was holding a towel he'd used to wipe his face, and not for the first time Loki simply forgot how to think for a few seconds. That was new. He _never_ stopped thinking, usually. Anthony shouldn’t be allowed to wear sleeveless tunics.

“Not yet,” Loki replied, returning Anthony’s smile. “But I suppose I should head back to the palace soon.”

“I know.” Anthony sat down on the bench next to Loki and tossed the towel aside, leaning his head against the wall behind them. “Your days start early.”

“Yours, too. Are you done for tonight?”

“Yeah.”

“Then maybe you should go to bed and get at least a few hours of sleep.”

Anthony hummed and turned his head to look at Loki, still smiling. “Yes, maybe. Hey, can I ask you something?”

Loki hesitated, but in the end he said, “Of course.”

“Why did you come here?”

Loki frowned. “If you don’t want me here, you should have said.”

“What? No, I mean - why did you come _here,_ to Asgard?”

Oh. Of course. Loki sighed and wondered if this was a conversation he wanted to have, but with Anthony looking at him like this - curious, just sincerely curious -, Loki could hardly just stand up and leave. “Do you truly wish to talk about politics?”

“No,” Anthony said, shaking his head. “I want to talk about you.”

Loki wasn’t sure what to say. “Well, he began slowly, “I’m sure you know that the conditions in Jötunheimr are not… the best. Ever since the wars, we -”

“Now you’re talking about politics again,” Anthony cut him off.

“I _am_ the crown prince of my realm,” Loki said, glaring at him. “Dealing with politics is what I _do._ And I am very, very good at it.”

Anthony laughed. “I know. Look, I really know - I heard your speeches, I’ve seen you handle the bastards at court. You’re better with words than all of them together, and you’re clever, too.”

“For a Jotunn, you mean,” Loki said coolly.

“You know I didn’t mean it like that. You’re clever, full stop. It’s what I - I like that about you. You make no compromises.” He paused, thoughtful. “You’ll be a better king than Thor. And you know that, you know that you’re better than him, and still you are here, wanting to make peace with him. I don’t think an Aesir would do that.”

“Do you think I should fight?” Loki asked. “Do you think I would win?”

Anthony thought about it for a moment, then shrugged. “I think you could. Gods, I saw you fight. You’re like a force of nature, you know, with that ice -” 

“Not all of us can do that,” Loki said. “And not all that can are as good as I. And the Aesir have their ships and their weapons, and they are so many. We wouldn’t win.”

“Is that why you’re here, then? Out of fear of another war, because you know you’d lose?”

“I’m here because I want the best for my people and yes, also because I know that another war would ruin us.” Loki swallowed, knowing perfectly well that he shouldn’t even be talking about this. “And I was tired of living in fear of the Aesir. Every Jotunn grows up with it, but we just hear the stories, and I don’t want to build my opinions solely on stories other people tell me.”

Anthony seemed - not surprised, not really, but as if he liked what he had heard. “Do you know that you always talk about the Aesir as if I’m not one of them?”

Loki raised a brow. “Well, are you one of them?”

“I did grow up here.”

 _Yes,_ Loki thought, _and the only reason you are still here is your friendship with the king, who respects your skills as a smith but not much more about you._ He thought about how he would never want to stay anywhere he didn’t actually want to be, and he thought about not having a real home, and again he wondered if Anthony was lonely. Loki didn’t want him to be lonely - Anthony was too lovely for that. He deserved so much more.

“You are different than everybody else on this planet,” Loki told him, “and you are better.”

Anthony smiled, and Loki almost - _almost -_ kissed him. He wanted to, and the intensity of it surprised him so much that he had to leave. Anthony looked vastly disappointed, but Loki didn’t allow himself to think about it for too long.

*

Loki and Helblindi shared a room in the palace - or rooms, rather, three of them in total. They didn’t trust the Aesir enough to sleep in different rooms. When Loki returned, he found that Helblindi was still awake, which was not surprising. They both had trouble sleeping here, because it was always so _light._ At home, their palace was bathed in gentle darkness that was only disrupted by the soft light of lanterns.

Helblindi was sitting on his bed, sharpening his spear, and as soon as he saw Loki enter, he made a face. “Oh, I know that look. No. Whatever you are thinking about doing, no.”

Loki slowly sat down on the edge of his brother’s bed. “You say that as if my ideas always get us into trouble.”

“You’re aware that it was your idea that got us here in the first place, yes?”

Loki ignored him. “I am just wondering about something,” he said, keeping his tone casual. 

“Mh hm. I’m sure.”

“What do you think father would say if I took an Asgardian lover?”

Helblindi stared at him not as if he just suspected that Loki had lost his mind, but as if he _knew._ It looked a lot like resignation, because he also knew that Loki would do what he wanted, anyway. “The smith?”

“Yes. Maybe.”

“But he’s so short.”

“For you, yes,” Loki said, rolling his eyes. “For me, he’s quite the perfect height.”

Helblindi looked thoughtful. “Well, I’m sure he could fuck you without tearing you apart.”

Pretending that he hadn’t thought about that himself already, Loki wrinkled his nose. “Do you have to be so crude?”

“Yes,” Helblindi said. He considered Loki for a moment, then added, “We will leave again in a few months.”

“Oh. You’re saying father doesn’t even have to know.”

“The fact that you’re clearly already thinking about telling him is a bit worrying,” Helblindi said, frowning slightly. “Do you want it to be something serious, then?”

“Maybe,” Loki said again.

Helblindi huffed, but when he turned back to his spear again, he was smirking. “Just make sure not to get back home pregnant by a halfling.”

“Don’t call him that.”

His tone was forceful enough that Helblindi glanced at him again. His smirk softened into a smile, the look in his eyes teasing. “Don’t tell me you’re finally in love. Norns, mother will be _overjoyed,_ even when it’s someone so tiny.”

Deciding that his brother was _not_ a great help, Loki rolled his eyes again and went to bed. Helblindi chuckled to himself, so Loki covered his precious spear with ice, and finally fell asleep to his brother’s grumbled complaints.


	2. Chapter 2

When Anthony said that he was friends with the king, he meant that he'd seen Thor once a month, every month for the last few centuries. He meant that he knew Thor and Thor knew him, well enough that they could speak and jest with each other without the stiffness that usually accompanied dealing with royalty. He meant that Thor respected him as a smith and warrior, and that he got invitations to feasts and hunting trips and sparring sessions now and then. He meant that Thor liked and, yes, even trusted him.

When Anthony said that he was friends with the king, he did not mean that he worshipped the ground Thor walked on like everybody else did. So, when he heard Thor's booming voice from right outside the arsenal, Anthony sighed and briefly wondered if hiding behind the next weapon stand would be considered rude or not.

“Howardson! Don't tell me you are hiding from me again!”

Yes, fine, it would definitely be considered rude.

Anthony grinned as Thor entered the room, beaming wildly as always. “I would never, my king.”

“Of course not.” Thor came over to him and patted him on the back with a force that nearly sent Anthony stumbling. “Are you done here, friend? I know it's tedious work.”

Anthony forced himself to keep his smile. Ever since he had taken over the palace smith's duties three centuries ago, he came into the palace once a month to check whether any of the weapons here needed to be repaired or replaced, and yes, it was definitely tedious work. Being the palace smith had its perks, of course, but that Thor always acted like Anthony could choose  _ not  _ to do this was annoying. But that was the way of royalty, he supposed; they defined the word  _ freedom _ differently.

“It's fine,” Anthony said, putting the sword he had been inspecting back in its place. “And yes, I'm almost done.”

“Great! Then you have time to spar with us, yes? You haven't joined us in ages. Decades, certainly.”

“I'm pretty sure I joined you last month.”

“Then it's about time you joined us again. You can't hide in your smithy all day, I don't think that's healthy.”

Anthony suppressed another sigh. See, Thor was, all in all, a kind man. Sure, he had his flaws, like sometimes he should think a little more before he acted, but Anthony had met much, much worse men. Thor was friendly to everyone as long as they treated him with respect, and he deeply cared about his people. It was easy to underestimate his intelligence, but in truth Thor was anything but dumb. He was just… a little much, sometimes.

“I'd love to stay,” Anthony said, “but I've got a few commissions I still need to finish, and -”

“Nonsense!” Thor interrupted, still grinning. “Even you need a break every once in a while. I'm asking for an hour, that's all. I invited our guests to spar with me today, and I could use another Aesir at my side.”

Anthony's reluctance slowly made room for excitement. “You mean - do you mean the Jötnar?”

Thor nodded. “Indeed I do. Prince Loki is supposed to be a great warrior, and I am curious.” He lowered his voice a little when he added, “However, I think that his brother looks a little more impressive, but well - we'll see.”

At least a dozen thoughts flickered through Anthony's head at once. First, he had not missed that Thor had called him an Aesir, which, coming from the king and given that Anthony was half mortal, was definitely a compliment. Second, it sounded like the Warriors Three would not join them, probably because none of them were in favor of the negotiations with Jötunheimr, and Thor wanted to avoid insulting his guests. Asking Anthony to spar with them was a good compromise, and also a good political move - it would show the Jotunn princes that Thor considered someone who was basically an outsider a friend, and given the history of their realms, that kind of impartiality was something the Jötnar needed to see. Third, Anthony was sure that Thor had planned this; that he had scheduled the sparring session with his guests on the day Anthony came to the palace probably wasn't a coincidence.

And well, the other nine thoughts were all about Loki.

“Alright,” Anthony said. “I'll join you gladly.”

Thor grinned and Anthony half expected to be dragged to the sparring grounds right this second, but the king surprised him by leaving him alone so that he could finish his work - but not without making him promise that he wouldn’t sneak out of the palace when he was done.

Anthony checked the rest of the weapons in record time.

*

He had to agree with Thor on one thing - Helblindi did  _ look _ more impressive. Every time Tony saw him, he had to swallow, and right now he honestly wished that it wasn’t Helblindi watching as Thor and Loki prepared to spar. But as it was, Anthony didn’t really have another choice than to join the bald Jotunn who was about as tall as a tree.

Well, not really. But Anthony was about the same height as Helblindi’s upper thighs, and to look at him Anthony had to tilt his head back so far that his neck would hurt a lot tomorrow. And apart from his height, Helblindi just always looked vaguely threatening - his muscles were probably bigger than Thor’s, and somehow his shaved head made his harsh features look even harsher. Still, Tony noticed not for the first time that Helblindi and his brother shared some similarities. Helblindi’s skin was a touch lighter than Loki’s, but he had the same straight nose, the same high cheekbones. The lighter blue markings that seemed to cover his whole body looked just like Loki’s, too. It was obvious that they were brothers, even though they couldn’t have been more different.

Thor greeted Anthony loudly, holding up his hammer, and Anthony responded with a lifted hand and a grin as he came to stand next to Helblindi, who gave him a polite nod. Loki looked at Anthony, too, and his thin lips formed a smirk that had Anthony’s heart beating a little faster. Sadly, Loki soon turned back to Thor to talk about the sparring rules, and Anthony tried not to ogle him too obviously.

Where Helblindi was broad and bulky, Loki was lean and lithe. He was still a good few inches taller than Anthony, but Anthony knew that by the Jötnar’s standards, Loki was practically a dwarf. It didn’t seem to bother him in any way, though; Loki always held his head up high, and he moved and spoke with that kind of unshakable confidence that never failed to steal Anthony’s breath away. It was that more than his looks that made Loki so  _ gorgeous, _ although his looks played into it, too, of course. Unlike his brother, Loki didn’t shave his hair, instead he wore it so long that it reached far past his shoulders. Today it was braided back in a rather complicated looking manner so that it didn’t hinder him in the coming fight, and here and there Anthony could see small stones and pearls in the braids, catching the sunlight. Loki’s chest was bare and while his strength wasn’t as obvious as his brother’s, Loki was still well toned. He wore leather vambraces with golden details that fit to the cuffs on his upper arms. His pants were tight enough that Anthony could see the play of his leg muscles when Loki moved, which would probably be Anthony’s undoing. What he found odd was that Loki’s light leather shoes weren’t shoes at all, they just covered the bridges of his feet.

Meanwhile, Thor wore his usual sparring clothes that were a little less ostentatious than his actual armour, but still ostentatious enough to make Anthony inwardly roll his eyes. Next to Thor, Loki looked practically naked, and maybe Tony should be worried about Thor’s hammer breaking every bone in Loki’s body with one hit, but he wasn’t. 

“He said you might come,” a deep voice said next to him.

Anthony looked up at Helblindi, squinting against the sunlight. “Who, Loki?”

Helblindi smirked, but he kept his eyes forward. “King Thor.”

“Oh. Right.”

“Will you two be done soon?” Helblindi asked, a little louder. “The sun is getting on my nerves, and I’d like to best the smith before it gets even warmer.”

Anthony swallowed. Because yes, sure, pair him with the musclebound giant with the spear that’s longer than Anthony is tall. Why not. 

Then again, Loki wouldn’t be any easier to beat. 

“We’re done,” Loki said lightly, smiling at Thor. “I am ready if you are.”

“No magic,” Thor said, not unkindly.

Helblindi grumbled something that sounded vaguely displeased, but Loki’s smile didn’t waver. “No magic,” he agreed.

Thor nodded, and they grabbed each other’s forearms and inclined their heads. Then they took their positions across from each other. Thor was already holding his hammer.

“Are you sure you don’t want sturdier armour?”

“Try to hit me first, then we will see if I need it,” Loki countered, and Thor grinned.

“Fine,” he said, “as you wish.”

He took a first swing at Loki, but the Jotunn stepped out of the way so quickly that Mjölnir didn’t even graze him. He dodged Thor’s next move, too, and the next and the next, because no matter how fast Thor was, Loki was always faster. It didn’t take long until Thor got frustrated - because he was a kind man, but not a very patient man - and when he started to get sloppy, Loki landed his first move. It was so fast that Anthony almost missed it, he just saw Loki dodge and jump forward, his knees still bent, and then suddenly he was standing behind Thor and Thor was howling, bending over to press his hand to the back of his knee.

“Are you sure you don’t want sturdier armour?” Loki asked, playing with a short dagger that looked like it was made of glass - or ice.

Thor straightened again, glancing at his bloodied hand. Maybe he thought about how Loki could have easily severed his sinew and had just chosen not to, because Thor didn’t look very pleased. He growled and attacked again, and the game began anew. Soon Thor was covered in little wounds, Loki’s daggers cutting through the king’s armour as if it was nothing. Thor became angrier, his punches heavier and faster, until even Loki had some troubles dodging them. Once, the edge of Mjölnir hit Loki’s arm as it flew past him, making him stumble. 

Thor let out a call of victory and raised his hand to call his hammer back, but it wasn’t that easy. Suddenly, the ground beneath Loki’s feet was covered in ice, his bare feet slipping on it not even half as much as they should have, and when Loki held up his own hand, a wall of ice surged up behind him. It was enough of a hindrance to Mjölnir that the hammer needed a second to get past it, and that was more than enough time for Loki to get out of the way. In the same moment as the ice crumbled under Mjölnir’s force, Loki threw two daggers, small icy blades that Thor managed to dodge just barely. One of them grazed his cheek, leaving behind a light but bloody cut.

“No magic, we said!” he shouted, catching Mjölnir again. 

“But the ice is no magic,” Loki replied, just slightly out of breath. His grin was sharp, arrogant, and one of the best things Anthony had ever seen. “Merely an extension of my body, much like your pretty hammer.”

“Fine,” Thor growled through gritted teeth. “ _ Fine, _ have it your way.”

Thor clearly intended to end the fight, but this time, it was Loki who got to Thor first, and soon it became clear who had the upper hand. Mjölnir was strong and fast, but in close combat against someone who was much faster and more agile, whose ice could block every hit of the hammer in the very last moment and who had countless weapons ready at hand, even Thor was confronted with difficulties.

He was losing.

He was losing and he knew it, they all knew it, and the end of this was inevitable. And the end looked like this: Thor, slipping on the ice-covered ground, his hammer out of reach, an icy knife pressed to his throat, and Loki asking, “Do you yield?”

Thor yielded. The ice crumbled and melted, and Mjölnir broke free of the cage Loki had built for it and shot toward its master. And Loki - strong, brilliant, beautiful Loki - held out his hand and caught the hammer, and he  _ held _ it. He kept it firmly in his hand, and he was smiling when he offered it to Thor, as if he hadn't just turned the entire world upside down.

*

Nobody said a single word about it. That wasn’t necessary. Loki and Thor finished their match with a respectful handshake and some surprisingly lighthearted jests, and then they sat down on a bench on the side of the arena so that they could lick their wounds and watch. Because Helblindi and Anthony were next, and even though Anthony’s head was still spinning from what Loki had  _ done, _ he couldn’t back down now. Helblindi looked even prouder than before, for obvious reasons, and he was in a good mood that had Anthony hoping that maybe he wouldn’t have that many broken bones.

In the end, he lost - but only barely. It was a very close draw. Helblindi was scarily strong and he knew what he was doing, but Anthony was used to fighting people who were both stronger and faster than him, and he wasn't the best sword fighter in Asgard for nothing. He was also very stubborn, and he didn’t yield until every single muscle in his body hurt so much that he couldn’t fight anymore.

He could feel the look of Loki’s ruby red eyes on him the whole time. Even when they all left the sparring grounds to have lunch in the palace at Thor’s invitation, Loki kept looking at him. He sat down next to Anthony as well, and while they ate, Loki’s thigh was firmly pressed against Anthony’s own. At one point, he even put his hand on Anthony’s knee beneath the table, and Anthony could feel all the pain and soreness just bleed out of his body, as if he had managed to dodge every single one of Helblindi’s powerful blows.

He looked at Loki, surprised, but the Jotunn was talking with the king, and Anthony knew that it was better to keep his mouth shut. Loki hadn’t healed Thor’s wounds, after all, and Anthony wasn’t sure if Thor’s ego would survive another hit today.

Anthony wasn’t sure if their - he wasn’t even sure what to call it, was it friendship yet? Or was it already on the edge of being something more? Either way, he didn’t know if it was a secret or not. Loki didn’t treat him any differently than when they were alone, talking late into the night while sitting on the bench in Anthony’s backyard. Well, there was less flirting, because Thor and Helblindi were there, too, and that fact annoyed Loki immensely. Oh, he didn’t show that, but Anthony  _ knew. _ He could tell by the way Loki raised a brow in reaction to some things Thor said, or how he sent a minor glare in his brother’s direction whenever Helblindi said something that was just a little bit suggestive. Which led Anthony to the conclusion that Helblindi knew, at least. Given how he looked at Anthony, it was kind of obvious. Thor seemed clueless, though, and Anthony suspected that it was better when it stayed that way.

He had never spoken to Loki about this. He still didn’t have a real clue why Loki was coming to Anthony’s house so often - he was there almost every other night by now, even though he was so busy that he would have done better if he had spent his nights sleeping. But for some reason, he chose to spend them with Anthony instead, and Anthony…  _ gods, _ as if he would ever send Loki away.

He’d been wanting to be alone with the Jotunn prince ever since he had seen him for the first time. And when he had heard that some idiotic warriors were planning an even more idiotic assassination, well, of course Anthony had been  _ worried, _ but it had also been a good opportunity, and Anthony was nothing if not an opportunist.

There was something about Loki that just lured him in. He couldn’t even say for sure what it was; a mixture of Loki’s smirks and his quick tongue, of his beauty and his intelligence, his  _ competence. _ He was the most fascinating person Anthony had ever met, and that was saying something, because Anthony had met countless people. He’d fucked a lot of them, too, and a few he had even liked. Not all of them had been Aesir; especially in his younger years he had spent a lot of time in Midgard. He was half human, after all. His father might have been done with humanity as soon as he’d held a golden apple in his hands, but Anthony had always been curious. He’d always wanted to see everything. Maybe that was also a reason why he liked Loki so much, because Loki was so  _ unusual,  _ maybe even dangerous. He  _ was _ a Jotunn, after all.

Now, unlike most Aesir, Anthony didn’t think that the Jötnar were monsters. (Most Aesir also thought that Midgardians were dumb and useless.) He’d been a supporter of the peace negotiations ever since they had started. Just to be contrary, in the beginning, but now that he knew Loki, things had changed. Because, yes, Loki was a Jotunn, he had blue skin and red eyes and maybe, just maybe, his teeth were a little sharper than teeth usually were, and  _ of course _ he was dangerous. Of course he was… exotic, in a way. And maybe that was why Anthony had wanted him since he’d seen him for the first time, but now he wanted Loki because he was  _ Loki. _ Sharp-tongued, bright, proud Loki, who was only aloof and cool when he didn’t like you, and gentle and affectionate when he did. He was comfortable in his own skin and, as far as Anthony was concerned, that was something worthy of admiration.

Anthony  _ wanted _ him. He wanted him, and he was very set on having him - if Loki wanted him, too. 

And judging by how Loki looked at him when he and his brother excused themselves after lunch, Loki  _ did. _

*

Anthony finished working on his commision early in the evening. He couldn't concentrate, anyway, because he was sure that Loki would come by tonight. He spent his time doing completely unnecessary things like polishing all swords that were on display in his shop, even though they were all already as shiny and pretty as they could even be.

When he finally heard the front door open, he nearly dropped a sword. Cursing himself silently, he hurried to put the weapon back where it belonged.

"I'm here!" he called, trying not to tug at his tunic. That wouldn't make it look better. Maybe he should have changed? But Loki had seen him in his work clothes often enough, and he'd never seemed to be bothered by it. The opposite, actually.

Loki was still wearing his sparring garments when he came into the room, and he smiled at Anthony as if he had been waiting to see him for hours.

"I'm surprised you're not working," he said instead of a greeting. "Given that we stole half of your day this morning."

"Well, it was definitely worth it," Anthony replied, grinning back at Loki. "And I just finished early today, that's all."

Loki looked him up and down for a moment. "You aren't still hurting anywhere, are you? Did I miss something?"

"No, I'm fine. You healed everything." Anthony cleared his throat. "I didn't get a chance to say thank you."

"You don't need to thank me," Loki said at once. "I did it gladly."

"Thor would probably be insulted if he knew it, though."

Loki made a dismissive gesture. "I do not want you to be in unnecessary pain. That's our business, not Thor's."

Anthony felt strangely warm. Loki smiled at him, seemingly charmed. Anthony didn't know what to say - usually, they were in the backyard during Loki's visits and talked while Anthony worked, but since he was done with work, they didn't need to sit outside.

"Do you want to come upstairs?" he suggested finally. "There's wine, and food, too, if you want it."

Loki looked surprised, but he nodded readily, so they made their way upstairs.

In the small rooms above Anthony's smithy, Loki looked slightly out of place. He would have fit better into the estate Anthony had inherited from his parents, to all that gold and marble. And maybe Anthony should be wearing finer clothes than the tunic he'd been working in, he had an entire closet full of clothes like that, after all. He was used to being around royalty and technically belonged to the high society of Asgard himself, and he knew that every single Aesir that had ever set a foot on the palace grounds would consider themselves above the two small rooms that Anthony slept and ate and lived in.

Loki, however, looked like he was comfortable. He walked around said two rooms with a curious look on his face and eventually sat down on Anthony's bed, bouncing a little on the soft mattress.

“What exactly are you doing?” Anthony asked, staring at the prince. He'd fetched two glasses and a bottle of wine from the small kitchen nook in the other room, and now he stood in the doorway with raised brows.

“I find your beds highly amusing,” Loki announced.

It was an odd thing to say, but by now Anthony was used to Loki saying odd things now and then. “Okay? Why, what do your beds look like?”

Loki stroked over the blanket, and like always when he was reminded of Jötunheimr, he looked a little homesick. “We carve them from ice and stone, and cover them with furs and blankets.” He wrinkled his nose. “Mostly I'm just not used to all this space, the rooms we sleep in are much smaller.”

“Sounds cozy,” Anthony said, smiling. He loved it when Loki talked about his home, and during their earlier conversations Anthony had already asked about a million questions. Jötunheimr was the only realm you couldn't find much information about in Asgard, which was, now that Anthony had thought about it more often, highly annoying.

“Do you want to keep standing there the entire night?” Loki asked, sounding amused.

Anthony blinked, but then he crossed the room to join Loki on the bed. He tried not to think about the fact that  _ Loki _ was sitting on his  _ bed, _ because if he started thinking about that, he wouldn’t be able to stop. He’d been wanting to have Loki here for weeks, but so far he’d never dared to take that step. He usually wasn’t one to be scared of rejection, but usually he also wasn’t one to  _ care. _ He didn’t have any close friends in Asgard, and the people he slept with were just… well, people he slept with. Only very few Aesir were willing to let other people know that they had been in his bed, anyway, and he doubted that anyone would ever want to actually court him. So he had simply decided that he didn’t want to court anyone, either, and so far that had worked out well for him.

Now there was Loki, though.

Anthony handed Loki one of the glasses and put the other one on the nightstand so that he could open the bottle. Loki watched, curious as always, and after Anthony had filled his glass, Loki lifted it to his nose to smell it.

“Hm. What is this?”

“Wine,” Anthony said, pouring some of it into his own glass. “Midgardian, though.”

Loki’s eyes lit up. “I think I’ve never tried anything Midgardian before.” 

Anthony had to laugh. “Take a sip, then.”

Loki did, but judging by the face he made, the experience was a little underwhelming. “This certainly tastes better than the beer they make us drink in the palace, but I doubt I will ever get drunk from this.”

“Yeah, well, I  _ do _ get drunk from this.”

“Really?” Loki said, looking positively appalled. “You’re joking.”

Anthony snorted. “You’re drinking with a half human here, honey. Give me a jug of that palace beer and you can treat me for alcohol poisoning.”

Loki smirked. “Honey, hm?”

“Yes.” Anthony folded one of his legs beneath himself on the bed so that he could turn toward Loki properly. He smiled and lifted his glass. “Honey.”

It had taken some time to get used to looking into completely red eyes, but by now Anthony could read Loki’s expressions fairly well. And right now Loki looked so pleased that it made Anthony’s own smile widen. They clinked glasses and for a moment it was silent. Loki didn’t look away from Anthony and it could have made him nervous, but it didn’t. At least not in a bad way. Anthony had only ever been nervous in a  _ good _ way when he was with Loki.

Eventually, Loki broke the silence. “May I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“How old are you?”

Anthony could guess what was going on in Loki’s head. “I’m turning one thousand five hundred in a few decades.”

“I am a bit younger than you, then.” Loki considered him, thoughtful. “You look just like any other Aesir of that age.”

“I know.”

“So you age like they do, but you don’t share their tolerance for alcohol?”

“Ridiculous, isn’t it?” Anthony shrugged. “I’m also weaker and slower, but my mind can keep up with Aesir stuff - Allspeak, for example.” 

“You are not much weaker,” Loki argued, frowning at him. “You nearly won against Helblindi today. I’ve never seen anyone wield a sword quite like you do. It was… rather impressive.”

“I know,” Anthony said. “I saw you looking.”

“I saw  _ you _ looking,” Loki shot back. He was smirking now, smugness in his eyes. “And I think you liked what you saw.”

“I mean, obviously. You -” Anthony huffed a laugh and shook his head, looking down at the glass in his hands. “Do you even  _ know _ what you did today?”

Loki hummed. He was still smiling. “I showed your king that he is not as good as he thinks he is.”

“You caught Mjölnir,” Anthony said, because he felt like Loki didn’t really get how  _ big _ this was. “You - nobody else is supposed to be able to do that. Nobody else is supposed to be  _ worthy _ of doing that. Thor is the only one capable of it, that’s why everyone adores him so much.”

“Maybe they should learn to adore other people, too, then.”

Anthony looked at Loki again and gods, he  _ agreed, _ but he had grown up in a place where worth and honor were everything, and Thor had been the benchmark ever since he’d been old enough to walk. And Loki just - he just didn’t  _ care. _

“You know,” Anthony said, his voice a little rough, “if the people learn that you’re worthy of lifting the hammer, that could  _ ruin _ Thor.”

“I know,” Loki said, lightly. “But I talked to him before I came here, and we agreed not to tell a single soul. I trust you to keep it to yourself as well.”

Anthony stared at him. “But why wouldn’t you -”

“I don’t want to take over Asgard, Anthony,” Loki cut him off. “So I need Thor to stay king, and I need him to agree to my terms.”

“But if the Aesir knew,” Anthony insisted, “maybe they would think a little better of you.”

Loki put his glass on the floor. “Their definition of worth means nothing to me,” he said. “I have my own.”

Anthony didn’t know what to say to that. Thankfully, he didn’t need to say anything, because Loki was leaning in so that their faces were close to each other, his smile sharp and pleased. His hand on Anthony’s knee. 

“I didn’t come here to speak about politics,” he said, and Anthony had never heard Loki’s voice drop quite this low.

He had to grin himself. “You didn’t?”

“No.”

“Why are you here, then?”

Loki took his hand off Anthony’s knee and reached up instead. His fingers felt cool on Anthony’s jaw as they traced the line of his beard, but it wasn’t the cold that made Anthony shiver. It was the way Loki’s pupils dilated, the way his smile became less sharp and more absent, more  _ wanting. _

“You,” Loki replied after a long moment, quietly. “If you’re willing.”

Anthony let out an already slightly ragged breath. “Oh, I’m more than willing. I’ve been willing for a while now. I’m positively eager.”

Loki’s gaze softened. He touched the tip of his nose to Anthony’s, and Anthony held his breath and then Loki’s lips were pressed against his, and there wasn’t anything  _ sudden _ about it. There had never been so much intent behind a kiss, he thought, and after that he didn’t think much anymore, because Loki’s lips were soft and cold and that was all that mattered right now. His eyes were already closed, he could hear his own heartbeat and was sure that Loki could hear it, too. He returned the kiss, firmly, and heard - and felt - Loki suck in a breath before he pressed closer, his hand still cupping Anthony’s jaw. Finally Anthony reached out for him as well, putting one hand on Loki’s side, the other on his back. Loki’s skin was cold, too, and Anthony could feel the markings on Loki’s back, ridged lines on the otherwise smooth skin. He’d been wanting to follow them with his fingers for so long, but all he managed right now was to pull Loki closer.

“You’re so warm,” Loki murmured against Anthony lips, breath hitching.

“Is that alright?” Anthony whispered back. “Or -”

“Yes,” Loki said, and then he kissed Anthony again.

Loki’s tongue was even colder. Anthony gasped when he first felt it on his lips, in his mouth, and Loki made a surprised sound as well;  _ Anthony’s _ tongue was probably even warmer for him. Anthony slid a hand into Loki’s long hair and deepened the kiss, and it went on until they were both breathless. It was Loki who put his hands on Anthony’s shoulders and pushed, but not to break the kiss, just to make him lie back on the bed. Anthony complied and soon Loki was straddling him, his hands already slipping under Anthony’s tunic. The ends of his hair tickled Anthony’s neck and cheek when Loki leaned down to kiss him again. His mouth soon left Anthony’s and wandered to his jaw instead, then to his neck. Anthony didn’t even try to stifle his moan, and promptly felt Loki smile against his skin.

“I want you naked, “ he murmured, kissing Anthony’s neck again. “Please.”

“Yes,” Anthony said, at once. “Yes, let me -”

Loki climbed off him, and while Anthony mourned that loss, now he could sit up again and take off his boots. He was already opening the laces of his pants when Loki pulled him into a kiss again, holding Anthony’s face in his hands. And gods, Loki really was  _ good _ at this; Anthony felt like he could spend the entire night just kissing him. The cold made Anthony shiver every once in a while, but less because he was freezing and more because he enjoyed it. It felt good against his own heated skin, actually it felt as if they had been fucking  _ made _ for this.

Loki pulled Anthony’s tunic over his head himself, and immediately his hands were all over Anthony’s upper body. Anthony lay down again and pulled Loki with him, all the while trying to wriggle out of his pants. It didn’t take long until Loki laughed and broke their kiss, giving Anthony a chance to undress completely. He didn’t stop touching him, though, and his eyes were wide and dark as he let his fingertips trail over Anthony's chest, stroking gently over all the scars Anthony had acquired over the years.

“You are the most gorgeous creature I’ve ever seen,” he told Anthony, his voice softer than Anthony had ever heard it.

He could feel himself blush. “You’re one to talk,” he said, moving further onto the bed until he could lean against the headboard. “Come here.”

Loki crawled toward him and straddled one of Anthony’s legs. He ran a hand through Anthony’s hair, smiling, and then they were kissing again. Loki’s hand was already moving down Anthony’s chest and finally found his hard cock, making Anthony gasp.

Loki stilled. “Too cold?”

Anthony shook his head and pressed his lips to Loki’s again, moaning into Loki’s mouth when cold fingers wrapped around his cock and started stroking him. And oh, it  _ was _ cold, but it also felt fantastic. It made Anthony want to squirm and thrust up into Loki’s fist. The grip of Loki’s hand was tight in Anthony’s hair, tilting his head up so that Loki could mouth at his neck. Anthony was sure that he would have marks there later, and he  _ adored _ that thought. He also adored the sounds Loki made, the breathy moans and pleased hums, and how he started rolling his hips as if to rub himself against Anthony’s thigh. Anthony grabbed Loki’s sides, fingers digging into the flesh above the waistband of his leather pants, and that Loki was still wearing clothes at all just wouldn’t do.

“I want you naked, too,” he said roughly. “I want -”

“Yes,” Loki said. He looked at Anthony again, his smile bright, and Anthony had to laugh.

Their next kiss was softer, and when they eventually broke apart again, Anthony felt a little dizzy. Loki’s skin was flushed, cheeks dusted not pink but deep purple, and he was  _ lovely. _ Anthony brushed a wayward braid behind Loki’s ear, wanting to touch all of him.

“What do you want, hm?” he murmured, planning to give Loki anything he asked for.

“Oh,” Loki breathed, nuzzling Anthony’s nose with his own again. “Everything.”

Anthony laughed. “That might be difficult to squeeze into one night.”

“We’ll have to do this again, then,” Loki said. “Often.”

He gave Anthony’s cock a last stroke, and Anthony let out a sound that was only almost a whimper. “Gods, yes.”

“For now,” Loki said lowly, his lips moving against Anthony’s cheek. “Why don’t we start with your mouth on me, hm?”

"You have the best ideas," Anthony said, grinning, and caught Loki’s lips again. They changed positions a bit laboriously because they kept getting distracted by each other’s mouths and hands, but eventually Loki was lying comfortably on his back, and just when Anthony wanted to complain about Loki  _ still _ being dressed, there was a green and golden shimmer and suddenly Loki was naked. Even his arm cuffs were gone. 

Anthony exhaled audibly. He was kneeling next to Loki on the bed now, and all that blue skin and lean limbs made it decidedly hard to think.  _ Pretty, _ was the first thought Anthony had had when he’d seen Loki for the first time, and he had it again now.  _ Pretty, pretty, pretty. _

_ And mine. _

For tonight, at least. And a few more nights as well, given what Loki had said just a few minutes ago. The thought filled Anthony with that sort of giddy happiness that made it impossible to stop grinning.

“I adore you, you know,” he said, and Loki smiled right back at him.

He stretched a little on the bed, idle like a cat that knew exactly that it was going to get exactly what it wanted. “Do you now.”

“Yep.” Anthony touched Loki’s chest, flicked his thumb over a hard nipple before he found one of the lines. He couldn’t make sense of the patterns, but Loki had told him that it had something to with his heritage. But no matter what the markings meant, they were goddamn beautiful. The most intriguing thing Anthony had ever seen, let alone felt under his fingertips.

Or tasted.

Loki seemed to enjoy himself as Anthony explored him with his hands and mouth, and Anthony drank in every single one of Loki’s moans and gasps. He really did want to touch all of his lover (his lover!) and his cock looked especially tempting, hard and leaking on Loki’s belly, the tip almost purple. Loki made a strangled sound when Anthony touched it, hips bucking upward. Anthony’s hand moved downward to fondle Loki’s balls, his inner thighs, his -

Wait, what?

Anthony looked down on his suddenly wet fingers. “Oh,” he said.

“Anthony,” Loki said, impatient.

“You have -”

“A cunt?” Loki rolled his eyes and grabbed Anthony’s wrist, leading his hand back between his legs. “Mh. Yes. You promised me your mouth, I think.”

“Right,” Anthony said slowly. He nodded. “Right.”

He could think about this later. He could ask about this later. For now all that mattered was that Loki didn’t only have a cock but also a cunt, and for some reason that made him even hotter. And, hel, Anthony wanted to make him feel good. He wanted to make him  _ tremble. _

Not much later, he was lying on the bed with his head between Loki’s thighs, and Loki was breathing heavily and grasping the bed sheets with one hand. The other was buried in Anthony’s hair, pulling him even closer, and Anthony could barely breathe, but it was  _ worth it. _ Loki tasted different than the women Anthony had eaten out, sweeter and somehow colder, but the mechanics were the same. Anthony licked Loki's folds until his jaw ached and teased his clit until Loki did indeed tremble, wetness dripping down his thighs and onto the bed. When Loki came, it was with a sound that Anthony would think about for the next few millennia. 

He felt Loki twitch under his tongue and try to flinch away, too sensitive now. Anthony kissed Loki's inner thigh, sucking lightly on the soft skin with the intent to leave a pretty purple mark there. Loki made a pleased noise and tugged lightly at Anthony's hair, making him lift his head.

“Come here,” Loki demanded, his voice  _ deliciously _ wrecked.

Anthony didn't need to be told twice. He grinned and crawled up Loki's body again, adoring his glassy eyes and bitten lips. Loki arched up to kiss him, pressing himself up against Anthony's body, and after a while he flipped them over. He sat back on his heels between Anthony's legs and ran his hands over Anthony's thighs, slowly. He didn't say or do anything, though, so Anthony propped himself up on his elbows so that he could look at Loki properly.

“Something wrong, Lokes?”

Loki seemed to like the nickname, because he smiled. “I wish you could fuck me tonight,” he said lowly. “But I’d rather not get pregnant, and I haven't taken any… precautions.”

Anthony blinked. “You can  _ actually _ get pregnant?"

“Well, naturally.” Loki gestured down at himself. “Did you think this was just for decoration?”

“I didn't think much about it at all, honestly,” Anthony said. “I kind of had more important things to do.”

“Ah, yes. Indeed.”

Loki smirked at him, and his hand found Anthony's cock again. His fingers were so cold that Anthony grunted and flinched, but Loki didn't let him get away.

“Do you think I should fuck you, then?” he asked. His tone was light, but the greedy look in his eyes betrayed him. “I've been wanting to have you for so long now.”

“Well, that's convenient,” Anthony said. His voice shook slightly; Loki was still stroking him and it made it somewhat difficult to concentrate on anything else. “Because I've been wanting it for ages, too.”

Loki grinned, bright and pleased, and shifted on his knees. He nudged Anthony's legs further apart and stroked his inner thigh with his free hand that finally found its way to Anthony's ass. His fingers were already slick, which -

“Magic?” Anthony gasped, and Loki chuckled softly.

“Oh, yes,” he said. “Magic.”

Anthony wanted to say something about how practical and wonderful that was, but the words got lost somewhere when Loki pushed a first long, cold finger into him. Anthony sighed and relaxed, moving his hips a little to push back onto Loki's hand. He didn't know what to concentrate on, on Loki's finger - soon fingers - in his ass or on the hand that was still wrapped around his cock, touching him so perfectly. Most of all he concentrated on the fact that these were  _ Loki's  _ hands - the hands that wielded both ice and daggers so flawlessly, the hands that could lift Mjölnir. And Loki's entire focus was on  _ Anthony _ now, and that was the best fucking thing about this entire situation.

Although Anthony had to admit that Loki's cock felt very nice as well.

Loki had taken his sweet time fingering Anthony open, so he could thrust in smoothly. There was barely any discomfort, except for the cold - the cold made Anthony suck in a harsh breath through his teeth, just like the warmth of his body made Loki moan. Loki had grabbed Anthony’s hips, holding onto him so tightly that it almost hurt, and when he was fully sheathed, he shifted and leaned over Tony so that they were chest to chest. His breath was cool on Anthony’s lips, and his brows were pinched slightly in obvious pleasure. Anthony ran his hands over Loki’s back, trying to get him to move. Loki caught his eyes and one corner of his mouth pulled up into a thoughtless smile, then he braced himself on the mattress and started to roll his hips.

From there on, it was a blur. Anthony clutched at Loki’s back while he fucked him, hissing and moaning in reaction to every thrust because the cold was nearly too much, too intense, too  _ good. _ Loki seemed to know exactly how to move, and his mouth on Anthony’s lips and jaw and neck stole even the last of his coherent thoughts. Their kisses were messy and hungry, soon they were just panting and moaning against each other’s mouths while Loki’s movements became faster, more erratic. He buried his face in the crook of Anthony’s neck and then suddenly he  _ bit _ him - the sharp pain was a surprise, but what was even more surprising was that it made Anthony come, moaning as he spilled himself between their bodies. Loki whined, a lovely, drawn-out sound that made Anthony’s skin ripple with satisfaction, and then Loki came as well.

It was silent for a long while. Loki’s lips were moving lazily against Anthony’s neck, close to the spot were his teeth pierced Anthony’s skin.

"I'm sorry about the bite," he muttered eventually, his voice muffled by Anthony's skin. "I should have asked you first."

"It's fine," Anthony said. "I liked it."

Loki kissed Anthony's neck and then rolled off him, stretching on the bed. Anthony looked at him, and maybe it was because of the post-sex glowy feeling he had, but Loki was  _ so _ gorgeous. Anthony couldn't help but reach out for him, and soon he was tucked against Loki's side, his head comfortably resting on Loki's shoulder. The Jotunn's skin was blissfully cold against Anthony's own heated body. Loki started stroking Anthony's back, and Anthony was content just lying there and congratulating himself on having made a fantastic decision for once in his life.

  
  


*

They spent the entire night in bed. When they weren’t busy fucking, they talked or just dozed, their limbs entangled as if  _ not _ touching each other wasn’t even an option. In the morning, Anthony was exhausted, but he couldn't just ignore his work because he'd spent the night with his lover. And Loki had to return to the palace as well, so they both had to get up at dawn.

Anthony sat on his bed and watched as Loki knelt on the floor in front of a mirror he had conjured up, doing his hair. It had been a complete mess a few minutes ago, but by now Loki's nimble fingers had gotten it under control again. His hair was surprisingly curly when he didn't wear it in braids.

Anthony watched it, wondering what they had gotten themselves into. "Loki?"

"Yes?"

"What now?"

"Well," Loki said, "I'm not sure if I can come back tonight, Thor invited us to yet another feast. I had hoped to see you there."

Anthony nodded slowly. "I got an invitation, too."

"Good," Loki said with a genuine smile. "I will make sure to save you a place at our table."

Anthony stared at him, unsure if he had heard correctly. "Loki, I can't sit at your table."

"Why not?"

"Thor sits at that table. And the Queen. And  _ you." _

Loki looked over his shoulder to raise a brow at Anthony. "Do you not want to sit with me?"

"Of course I want to, but - I doubt anybody will approve."

"So?" Loki asked, sounding sincerely curious. When Anthony didn't come up with a good answer, Loki added, "You are my lover now, are you not? Do they have any right to disapprove?"

Anthony snorted. "They're Aesir, Lokes. They think they have the right to do anything they want."

"Then we should think the same," Loki said. 

He made the mirror vanish with a wave of his hand and stood up to join Anthony on the bed. He leaned in to kiss Anthony's cheek, his lips cool and gentle on Anthony's warm skin. Anthony sighed and relaxed against Loki, forehead dropping onto the Jotunn's shoulder. 

Loki put a cool arm around Anthony's shoulders and pressed his lips to Anthony's hair, which was nice. Anthony couldn't remember ever being the receiver of such… unguarded affection. He wasn't used to it, but he very much wanted to  _ get _ used to it. He was already wondering how many hugs and cheek kisses he could get out of Loki every day. 

"Do you truly care so much about what they think?" Loki asked after a long while.

"No," Anthony said, but then he sighed and sat up again to look at Loki. "I don't, not when it's just about me. But this is about you, too, and I don't want you to endanger your negotiations because of me."

“After what happened yesterday, Thor will know better than to judge me for this,” Loki said, his tone dry. "At least not openly. What he thinks about us is not my problem." Suddenly, he frowned. "However, I see how our courtship might cause you problems. You could lose some customers, so if you want to keep it private for now, I understand.”

Anthony smiled, just briefly. "Losing customers will be the least of my problems if they find out, but - but that's fine. They've been harassing me my whole life, I can take it."

"You shouldn't have to," Loki said, firmly, and his anger was fierce and clear in his red eyes. "I will not allow it."

"It's fine, Loki. I -"

"No," Loki interrupted. "No, it is not fine."

And because he was right, Anthony just sighed and shrugged. He didn't know what to say. Loki played with the short hairs on Tony's neck, the look on his face both pensive and determined.

"Are you happy here?" he asked eventually.

Anthony raised a brow. "You mean -"

"In Asgard," Loki said. "Are you happy here?"

No. No, he wasn't, and he had never been, and Anthony was sure that was obvious. He'd considered moving to Midgard often enough, but in the end staying here in his smithy had always won out. At least here he knew that the people respected him for something, even if not for himself. 

"I'm happy enough," Anthony said softly, wanting to soothe Loki's concern. "Now that you're here."

The answer didn't seem to satisfy the prince. "I will not  _ stay _ here, Anthony," he said. "In a few weeks, I will be gone, and I'm not sure if I will ever return."

"Yes, I know. But -"

"Would you like to come with me?"

Now that was a question - an offer - Anthony hadn't expected. It threw him off guard, and for the longest time he just gaped at Loki blankly. 

Eventually, he said, "What?"

"You could," Loki said, and suddenly he seemed excited, his eyes bright with hope. "It will be very cold for you, but I can come up with a spell to keep you warm."

Anthony felt as if his brain was still lagging behind. "My work -"

"We need smiths in Jötunheimr, too. And we would be honored to give someone with your talent a place to work."

It was a nice idea. At first. Then, Anthony thought about himself in a smithy in yet another realm, where he was visited by Loki on occasion, when the prince wanted to spend the night with him. And that thought made something sour rise up in Anthony's throat, chest tightening with anger. He turned his head and stood up, out of Loki's reach now.

“I am not some kind of  _ boy toy _ you can just take with you, Loki,” he said, sharply. “I - look, I know that this is not exactly built to last, but honestly I'd prefer a clean cut than just waiting for you to have time to visit me forever.”

Loki stared at him, looking extraordinarily confused. “You wouldn’t be my  _ boy toy,” _ he said, bewildered.

“Oh? And what else would I be?”

“My consort, of course. Did you -” He cut himself off, and slowly his confusion changed into annoyance. He frowned. “Did you think I was just  _ toying _ with you? That I don’t see more in you than a pleasant way to pass my time?”

“I have no idea what you see in me,” Anthony said. His anger was gone, his mind was too busy trying to make sense of what Loki had said. “I - your  _ consort?” _

Loki seemed a little annoyed. “Yes. My consort. But if that is not something you wish, just say so, and I will not bother you with it again.”

_ Courtship, _ Loki had said earlier. Now Anthony realized that it had been more than just an euphemism for  _ affair.  _ It made him a bit dizzy, and he had to sit down next to Loki again, still looking at the prince out of wide eyes.

“You’ll be king one day,” Anthony said blankly. “You - I can’t be your consort.”

“You are free to do or be anything you want,” Loki said. “If you do want to come with me, as my  _ consort, _ we will make it possible.”

He made it sound so simple, but Anthony still couldn’t wrap his head around it. “And what happens if we start to detest each other in a few decades?”

Loki rolled his eyes. “Then you will be allowed to leave, of course. I want to be with you, but only as long as you want to be with me as well. Really, sometimes I think that growing up in Asgard is extremely unhealthy.”

Anthony chose to ignore Loki’s disgust, at least for now. “And what about your parents?” he asked. “Your father? I’m half mortal, he won’t - he won’t be happy.”

“My father will be overjoyed,” Loki replied dryly. “My mother, too. They thought I wouldn't find a partner, given my height. And I assume my brothers will find it incredibly funny that I found someone who is even shorter than I.”

Anthony looked at him, feeling oddly helpless. “I’m running out of arguments against it,” he said weakly.

Loki’s expression softened, and he moved closer to Anthony on the bed, taking his hand. “I adore you as well, you know.”

“Now you’re just sweet-talking me,” Anthony said, huffing a laugh.

“No,” Loki said. “I don’t lie about things like this.”

Anthony believed him.

*

Several weeks later, Anthony rode on his horse over the Bifrost, the bag with his most precious belongings and his two swords strapped to his back. In the golden dome at the end of the bridge, they were already waiting for him - Heimdall, Thor, and the Jotunn princes. 

“You’re late!” Helblindi called as soon as Anthony was in hearing distance. “Then again, Loki was late, too. I wonder why.”

“Would you shut up?” Loki asked.

“No.”

Anthony hopped off his horse, and Loki was already coming to greet him, a smile on his lips. Anthony’s nervousness started to fade, and it was gone completely when Loki kissed him, slow and soothing. They only broke apart because Heimdall loudly cleared his throat. Thor looked somewhat bewildered, but thankfully he didn’t say anything tactless. 

Anthony stood right next to Loki while he and his brother formally said goodbye to Thor. When they were done with that, Heimdall opened the Bifrost, and Helblindi was the first to leave - eager to return home, doubtlessly.

Loki didn’t ask if Anthony was ready. He didn’t need to, because they had talked about this very thoroughly, and he  _ knew _ that Anthony was ready. And Anthony didn’t ask if Loki was sure, because he didn’t need to. He knew that already, too.

Still, they held hands when they stepped through the portal, and when icy cold greeted them, Anthony held Loki’s hand even tighter. 

In front of them, Helblindi looked up at the dark sky of Jötunheimr. “It’s good to be home.”

And Anthony, who saw Loki’s wide grin, had to agree.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Alien Biology](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25590826) by [switchknitter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/switchknitter/pseuds/switchknitter)




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